Orioles top minor league pitching prospect Chris Tillman pitched Norfolk's first nine-inning no-hitter in nearly 18 years Wednesday as part of the Tides' 6-0 win at Gwinnett, the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate. Tillman, 22, allowed one walk and struck out six, throwing 105 pitches. He retired Matt Young on a groundout to Robert Andino to secure the no-hitter. Tillman's only blemish was a walk to Gwinnett designated hitter Brent Clevlen in the fifth inning. He then induced left fielder Mitch Jones to ground into a double play.

Triple-A Norfolk 1B Christian Walker had three home runs in his last 10 games entering Saturday, giving him 24 homers and 90 RBIs on the season. Both lead all Orioles minor leaguers. Walker is hitting .308 with 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBIs for the Tides. … OF Quintin Berry saw a 28-game road on-base streak end Friday night in a 5-3 win over Gwinnett. Berry is batting .295 with a .390 OBP and 22 stolen bases in 28 chances. His on-base percentage is third among qualifying International League players.

The question whether left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada was ready to join the Orioles following his rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk Thursday was answered quickly. Wada, a former standout in the Japanese Pacific League who signed a two-year, $8.14 million deal this offseason, lasted just 2 2/3 innings Thursday in his start against the Gwinnett (Ga.) Braves, allowing six runs -- all earned -- on six hits with four walks and one strikeout. Wada struggled through a 35-pitch first inning, allowing three runs on four hits in the opening frame.

Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada threw 100 pitches in an extended spring training game in Florida on Saturday, and will make his next start in a Triple-A game next week. Wada, placed on the DL on April 4 in order to give him time to elevate his pitch count, threw six scoreless innings against the Rays minor leaguers in Port Charlotte, allowing just two hits. He struck out seven but walked five. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's leaning toward sending Wada to Triple-A Norfolk to pitch in Thursday's game at Gwinnett (Ga.)

Triple-A Norfolk 1B Christian Walker had three home runs in his last 10 games entering Saturday, giving him 24 homers and 90 RBIs on the season. Both lead all Orioles minor leaguers. Walker is hitting .308 with 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBIs for the Tides. … OF Quintin Berry saw a 28-game road on-base streak end Friday night in a 5-3 win over Gwinnett. Berry is batting .295 with a .390 OBP and 22 stolen bases in 28 chances. His on-base percentage is third among qualifying International League players.

CAN REGIONS collaborate to devise better futures than congestion plagued roads and uncontrolled sprawl?The communities of "Chatlanta," the fast-developing 115-mile corridor along Interstate 75 from Atlanta, Ga., to Chattanooga, Tenn., believe so.Instead of waiting for the asphalt-minded Georgia and Tennessee transportation departments to come up with their familiar roads-and-more-roads formula, the Chattanooga and Atlanta regions are agitating for an intriguing 21st century alternative.Bullet trainsTheir idea: Bullet trains serving not just the city centers and the fast-urbanizing growth corridor, but their airports, too. The underutilized Chattanooga airport, for example, could become a reliever for Atlanta's traffic-drowned Hartsfield International.

The question whether left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada was ready to join the Orioles following his rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk Thursday was answered quickly. Wada, a former standout in the Japanese Pacific League who signed a two-year, $8.14 million deal this offseason, lasted just 2 2/3 innings Thursday in his start against the Gwinnett (Ga.) Braves, allowing six runs -- all earned -- on six hits with four walks and one strikeout. Wada struggled through a 35-pitch first inning, allowing three runs on four hits in the opening frame.

Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada threw 100 pitches in an extended spring training game in Florida on Saturday, and will make his next start in a Triple-A game next week. Wada, placed on the DL on April 4 in order to give him time to elevate his pitch count, threw six scoreless innings against the Rays minor leaguers in Port Charlotte, allowing just two hits. He struck out seven but walked five. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's leaning toward sending Wada to Triple-A Norfolk to pitch in Thursday's game at Gwinnett (Ga.)

Orioles top minor league pitching prospect Chris Tillman pitched Norfolk's first nine-inning no-hitter in nearly 18 years Wednesday as part of the Tides' 6-0 win at Gwinnett, the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate. Tillman, 22, allowed one walk and struck out six, throwing 105 pitches. He retired Matt Young on a groundout to Robert Andino to secure the no-hitter. Tillman's only blemish was a walk to Gwinnett designated hitter Brent Clevlen in the fifth inning. He then induced left fielder Mitch Jones to ground into a double play.

CAN REGIONS collaborate to devise better futures than congestion plagued roads and uncontrolled sprawl?The communities of "Chatlanta," the fast-developing 115-mile corridor along Interstate 75 from Atlanta, Ga., to Chattanooga, Tenn., believe so.Instead of waiting for the asphalt-minded Georgia and Tennessee transportation departments to come up with their familiar roads-and-more-roads formula, the Chattanooga and Atlanta regions are agitating for an intriguing 21st century alternative.Bullet trainsTheir idea: Bullet trains serving not just the city centers and the fast-urbanizing growth corridor, but their airports, too. The underutilized Chattanooga airport, for example, could become a reliever for Atlanta's traffic-drowned Hartsfield International.